I had reservations about screening a union movie. While I believe in equal work for equal pay, I was concerned about the potential for Made In Dagenham to become a preachy, self-righteous examination of labor issues. I decided to see this film anyway, and thankfully, it was nothing like I imagined. It is a thoughtful portrait of the late 1960s movement toward pay parity between the sexes. This film is based on the true story.
Rita O'Grady (Sally Hawkins) is a demure, mousy factory worker at Ford's sprawling assembly plant in Dagenham, England. The women machinists create the seat covers for the automobiles in poor conditions that include sweltering heat and a leaky roof. More importantly, their wages are less than half that of their male counterparts. Aided by steward Albert Passingham (Bob Hoskins), the women file demands with Ford to improve their conditions.
During a meeting with the Ford executive, Union Boss Monty Taylor (Kenneth Cranham) patronizes the women and offers the bosses an out. When the otherwise subdued Rita realizes she is being sold out, she steps in and demands an immediate response or a strike will be called. Her demands catapult Rita into her new-found role as leader and all the stress that the position entails. When her strike leads to a full work stoppage at the plant, the pressure on her family increases even further. While her husband Eddie (Daniel Mays) supports her, even his patience wears thin as the strike progresses. Steadfast until the end, Rita sees her mission through until a resolution is offered.
I was happy to see writer William Ivory take the high road with this film. What could easily have become a politically charged pro-union piece instead remained steady near the middle. The film remained true to the theme of equal rights, avoiding the pitfalls of taking a position on the unions. In fact, I was delighted to see the Union Steward getting called out for his expensive lunches and junket trips. I enjoyed the balance that was struck in this film, which concentrated more on the characters and historical importance of the broader fight. The characters were drawn with an emphasis on characteristics that seemed mundane. The characters are portrayed as hard-working blue collar people. There was a slight jab at the educational elite, but that seemed more an aspect of developing a sense of the culture. The story moved at a nice pace with rich dialogue that was a bit difficult to understand at times due to the British accents.
Hawkins was perfectly cast for this role. Her appearance invokes a timidity that gives greater power to her leadership. Rather than projecting a personality that grows with the new role, Hawkins remains a soft speaker. This allows the power of the dialogue to outweigh the delivery, which is effective for this story. Mays was sharp in a difficult role of tolerance and frustration. He balanced the emotions carefully without slipping into an overwrought performance. The supporting cast were also brilliant. The film was packed with great talent like Bob Hoskins and Rosamund Pike.
I am not certain what earned Made in Dagenham an R rating from the MPAA. The film did not contain any nudity or violence. The film contained heavy doses of British slang (like Bullocks), but even the language was kind of tame. There was one sex scene in a car that wasn't very sensual, was brief, and did not contain nudity. Beyond that, on hot days, the women in the plant would strip to their bras. There was some drinking and smoking, but nothing that really made me think this film should be restricted. I am not sure I would put any particular age rating on this film, but teenagers and above should be fine.
Made in Dagenham is a rich look at the fight for equal pay for women. The fact that this film was based on a true story made it more appealing to me. I felt that the characters were well drawn and familiar (credible). The dialogue was rich and believable. The cast was packed with talent. The feel of 1960s England provided a rich backdrop. Overall, there wasn't much not to like in this film. 7.5/10.
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